Radio and television broadcasts, Hollywood movies, and major concert tours are some of the glamorous settings of the Arts, A/V Technology, and Communications career cluster. But this sector also includes community theaters, print shops, art galleries, local music venues, film festivals, art fairs, and more.
While much of the economic activity in these fields is concentrated in major cities, such as Los Angeles for TV, movie, and music industries; New York for theater productions; and Nashville for the music industry, arts activity takes place in every community across the country.
Over the past several years, the Arts, A/V Technology and Communications career cluster has seen steady growth but has expanded about half as fast as the overall economy.
This sector provides both a source of cultural enrichment and economic vitality; the U.S. exports considerably more goods and services from this sector than it imports—typically in the form of movies, music, television programs, and video games.
While demand for printed media has trended downward for some time, news organizations continue to develop web-based content like podcasts, video, and social media. Online streaming services for movies, TV, and music have changed how people consume media worldwide—accounting for tens of billions of dollars in revenue.
Some of the other growing aspects in this cluster include web publishing and streaming, regional motion picture and video sector development, and arts-related retail trade.
Quick facts to note:
- The arts contribute more than $800 billion a year to U.S. economic output, according to a 2019 report from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
- Almost 3 million people work in arts, A/V technology and communications fields in the U.S.
- Over 15,000 radio stations and 1,700 television broadcast stations provide news, entertainment, and advertising throughout the country.
